"Through this collaborative partnership we aim to reach more teachers and pupils than ever before"

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Nintendo UK has teamed up with not-for-profit organisation Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) to help deliver “play-based learning and industry best practice” to school and college learners over the next academic year.

Becoming the programme’s new lead partner, Nintendo UK hopes to support an estimated 32,000 learners across a network for 55 schools and colleges “to bridge the gap between industry and education, combining fun, innovation and creativity with learning” and enable learners to learn anytime, anywhere with Nintendo’s mobile console system, Nintendo Switch.

The programme – which is delivered by UK trade industry body Ukie – works in the grassroots of computing and is also working with Nintendo UK to deliver the next DSH national schools esports tournament. A press release states the Digital Schoolhouse Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team Battle “will provide an immersive career experience for students allowing them to develop practical and soft skills with participation in professional esports roles, such as team hosting and production crafted by the video games industry for education”. It is expected to reach 6,000 learners across 60 participating schools across the UK.

“Nintendo UK is extremely excited to be working together with Ukie’s Digital Schoolhouse as lead partner. The Digital Schoolhouse programme uniquely combines computing, fun, creativity and innovation, all of which are synonymous and at the heart of Nintendo’s values,” said Kalpesh Tailor, head of communications at Nintendo UK. “Through this collaborative partnership we aim to reach more teachers and pupils than ever before, in order to help inspire the next generation of young minds across the UK.

“Through Digital Schoolhouse Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team Battle with Nintendo Switch, as well as through other play-based learning initiatives, we want to be able to provide young adults with fun and unique experiences that will form positive lasting memories as well as foster the development of skillsets within students which they can take with them into their future.”

“We’re delighted Nintendo UK has agreed to throw its support behind Digital Schoolhouse. DSH has evolved enormously in just three years and their support means we can reach more pupils and teachers than ever with our transformative and inspiring programme,” added Shahneila Saeed, director of Digital Schoolhouse.

“To date, these partnerships have helped DSH achieve national expansion and rapid growth, which is testament to the significant commitment from schools across the country to improve their digital skills provision. Nintendo is the latest global company to pick up the baton and push forward the programme into the next academic year.”

DSH’s support roster includes the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), SEGA, PlayStation, Ubisoft, and Warwickshire County Council.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate took the top spot in the charts this week, incidentally becoming the biggest launch ever for a Switch title. Nintendo’s new entry in the beloved franchise sold ten per cent more at launch than Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee combined a few weeks ago.

Looking at the previous instalment in the Smash series, Ultimate sold 82 per cent more than combined launch sales for Wii U and 3DS title Super Smash Bros, which released respectively in October and November 2014. It also sold 62 per cent more than Wii’s Super Smash Bros Brawl did at launch.

So needless to say that it’s a big success at retail for Nintendo and we can safely assume that digital sales are also breaking records.

Comparing it to Nintendo’s other iconic franchises, Ultimate sold 3.7 per cent more than combined launch sales for 2013’s Pokémon X and Y. It doesn’t reach the heights of the Pokémon Sun and Moon launch though. Ultimate sold 155 per cent more than 3DS’ Mario Kart 7 and 122 per cent more than Wii U’s Mario Kart 8 at launch. But it doesn’t quite reach launch sales for 2008’s Mario Kart Wii.

Switch bundles released with Ultimate also boosted Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, with gained four spots to No.5 with a 45 per cent rise in sales.

Moving on to the rest of the charts, Red Dead Redemption 2 managed to keep its place at No.2, with sales only decreasing ten per cent week-on-week. FIFA 19 fell to No.3 and Battlefield V was immovable from No.4, where it’s been since launch. Sales for EA’s title were down 25 per cent week-on-week.

Meanwhile, Just Cause 4 debuted at No.6 to lukewarm sales, down 61 per cent compared to launch sales for 2015’s Just Cause 3. It’s likely digital sales were on the rise though.

Having launched on PS4 last week, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds re-entered the charts directly at No.22, while Sega Mega Drive Classics launched on Switch last week, re-entering the listings at No.33.

Here’s the Top Ten for the week ending December 8th (data courtesy of GfK/Ukie):

"Super Smash Bros Ultimate is punching its way into the record books!"

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has become not just the best "pre-selling" Smash Bros. game, it’s also now Nintendo’s biggest "pre-selling" game on Nintendo Switch, too.

"Super Smash Bros Ultimate is punching its way into the record books!" said a tweet on the official Nintendo Versus Twitter account. "Thank you to all the amazing fans for your support in making this a fight for the ages! Be sure to have your Nintendo Switch ready to experience the action when the game launches on 12/7."

Naturally, not all pre-orders are fulfilled but it’s a lofty achievement nonetheless. It’ll remain to be seen if Smash can topple Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild from the top sales spots, shifting 12.2, 11.7, and 10.3 million units respectively. 2014’s Super Smash Bros sold almost 5.5 million copies for the Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 3DS shifted 9.35 million copies (thanks, GameSpot). Super Smash Bros.Brawl smashed them both, though, selling 13.3 million copies on the Wii.

Nintendo is planning to release an updated version of its Switch console/handheld hybrid, with the second half of 2019 said to be its launch date – possibly as early as the summer. The ins and outs of the upgrade haven’t yet been decided on, with specific features still being debated over in Kyoto. An updated LCD screen is one option touted – and would make sense – though Nintendo is unlikely to go down the route of Apple’s iPhone XL (and the original PS Vita) by using OLED technology.

Nintendo has been doing well according to its financials, but Switch sales have started to slow down. A move to introduce a revamped version while interest in the machine is still high could sustain its popularity for a while longer.

The annual European gaming event, Gamescom, has seen more attendees than ever before, with around 370,000 people making their way to the show through the week and weekend.

Last year’s show saw 355,000 members of the public attend; trade attendees was also up to 31,200 from 30,700 last year. The event also went that bit more international, welcoming an extra eight nationalities to Gamescom, up to 114 countries.

The number of companies exhibiting at the show was another area to see a rise, with an increase of over a hundred in 2018 – up to 1,037 from 919 last year. While more nationalities were also represented in the exhibitors side – 56 countries showing their wares, compared to 54 last year – the actual ‘foreign share’ of exhibitors fell from 72 per cent in 2017 to 70 per cent.

Meanwhile, the show’s usual awards recognised an array of titles, developers and publishers – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was recognised with the Best of Gamescom gong, while Ubisoft went home with Best Developer. Activision Blizzard nabbed Best Publisher, and Nintendo’s upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate bagged the coveted public vote.

Nintendo closes out E3 with Super Smash Bros Ultimate deep dive and by reminding everyone there’s still over six months of 2018 remaining

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Nintendo drew the E3 conferences to a conclusion earlier today, offering a deep dive into its upcoming Super Smash Bros Ultimate. In a Nintendo Direct that was a bit longer than what we anticipated, the return of the fan favourite franchise stole the show, as the platform holder announced that every single character ever featured in Smash Bros will be returning for this new entry.

Due to its impressive roster, Super Smash Bros Ultimate has the potential to attract a very large audience, from competitive gamers to casual players who might not have touched the franchise for a decade and who will be excited about returning characters or by the fact the GameCube controller will be supported on Switch.

Revealing a release date of December 7th, Nintendo just guaranteed the Switch a stellar Christmas, as we fully expect Super Smash Bros Ultimate to also be bundled with the console. Combined with the release of Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee mid-November, Super Mario Party announced for October 5th, and the wealth of indie titles (including Overcooked 2 this August) releasing between now and then, Nintendo should have one of the strongest Q4 line-ups this year.

The platform holder focused its E3 conference on titles releasing this year, unlike most publishers during this E3, who announced a wealth of launches for Q1 2019, probably keen to avoid direct competition with Red Dead Redemption 2. As leaked earlier this month, Fortnite is making the leap to Switch as well, with Nintendo announcing that it’s out today. If Epic Games’ battle royale hit will not help to shift hardware, it’s just another sign that the Switch is, more than ever, a force to be reckoned with. And you won’t have to wait until 2019 to see why.